Clothes-washing machine



P Z, 1947. P. B. WINSTON 2,426,851

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1944 2.St1eets-Sheet 1 [inventor Ben/P Ell/Ware,

y ndtw mlymy 3m P 1947. P. B. WINSTON CLOTHES vmsnme MACHINE Filed Jul-y 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bra/P B. M/vs ro/v,

Patented Sept. 2, 1947 CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Philip B. Winston, Fairfax, Va.

Application July 11, 1944, Serial No. 544,338

3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to washing machines and has more specific reference to a type which is expressly, but not necessarily, adapted for was-hing clothes and apparel, and as will be evident from the drawings and the description thereof, it is my primary aim to generally improve upon known patented and marketed clothes washing machines, this by way of certain novel refinements and features of distinction hereinafter to berevealed.

Broadly and briefly stated, the improved washing machine is characterized by a portable tub provided with a removable lid or cover, there being an apertured rapidly driven rotatable basket confined in said tub, said basket having at its center an upstanding stationary water delivery tube, the latter partially perforated so that water Jets issue radially therefrom, the water acting on the clothes and being whirled out through the apertures in the basket by centrifugal force brought into play by the spinning of said basket.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon an apertured basket having spider means at its top, said means having a central toothed propulsion collar, the teeth thereof meshing with a coacting pinion mounted atop a rotary motion transmitting shaft.

An essential phase of novelty is predicated upon the central stationary upstanding water delivery tube, this partially perforated at its top portion, the motion transmitting shaft extending axially up through said tube, and said shaft being formed with a spiral screw pump, the latter for forcibly feeding the water in to be sprayed out through the apertured portion, said pump serving also to draw the water out, whereby to provide a single pump for filling and operating the machine and also subsequently withdrawing the water from the machine for drainage.

Of outstanding importance is the pump arrangement characterized by a single valved branch pipe located beneath the bottom of the tub, said pipe to accommodate a hose which, as stated, may be employed to first feed the water into the machine and may be then secondarily employed to draw the water out from the ma- Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a clothes washing machine constructed in accordance with the principles or the instant invention, the same being set up for use.

Figure 2 is a central horizontal section through the tub and basket, the section being taken approximately on the plane of the line 2-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of p the relatively stationary tub is indicated at 6 and the removable substantially fluid-tight cover or lid at I, the latter having a venting port 8. The tub is supported on legs 9 having casters l0. A horizontal cross-piece H carried by the leg structure and located beneath the bottom of the tub serves to support a suitably constructed centrally arranged electric motor l2.- A water relivering and draining tube It has its lower end attached to the motor, rises therefrom, and extends up through the bottom or the tub, having fluid-tight connection with the tub, and also'having a bearing It for the adjacent portion of the I motion transmitting motor driven shaft IS. The lowerportion of the tube is imperforate as at l6, except at the points [1, these'perforations forming water return ports and emptying into the tub. The upper half portion of the tube It is provided with a multiplicity of apertures II for distributing and issuing the water jets, as is obvious. It will be noticed that the upper end of the motion transmitting shaft l5 extends above the delivery and distributing tube l6 where it is provided with a collar Ho and a beveled driving pinion I9 in mesh with teeth on another collar or ring 20 carried by the radial spider arms 2|, the latter connected with the wall or rim of the apertured clothes basket 22. The latter is provided with a relatively large opening 23 surrounding the adjacent portion of the tube just above the discharge ports 11. Annular tracks 24 and 25 are interposed between the bottom of the tub and the bottom or the basket and ball-bearings 26 form a raceway between the tracks, whereby to provide a satisfactory support and drive for said basket. The numerals 21 designate vertical circumierentially spaced ribs mounted on the inof the propulsion shaft 15.

It is evident that the revolving apertured basupper rim 1 terior of the tub in close proximity tothe wall of ing with the shaft and the surrounding tube 13 to form a two-wa pump; that is, a pump which feeds the water in and which also sucks the water out, this depending on the direction of rotation ket arranged in concentric relation t and surrounding the central stationary pump and jet spray means is one important phaseoi the in- ;vention. Equally if notmore important is the ways and means of using a single pump and feeder pipe arrangement for both filling and emptying the tub, The centrifugal principle of the basket swirling the water through the orifices in the basket against the ribs 2'! in-the tub, and the central upper half IS-of the tube 13 coacting therewith, in conjunction with the pump means isthoughttobe novel.

It is thought that personsskilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a. clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming, within the field of invention'claimed may be resorted to in actual prac; l

tice, if desired.

I claim: 1. A clotheswashing machine of the class de motor.

. 4 said motor and extending up through the bottom, portions of the tub and basket, said shaft being provided at its upper end with a collar and above said collar with a toothed pinion, said pinion bein'g tapered and fitting in the first collar and engaging the teeth of said first collar, whereby to utilize the shaft, pinion, first collar and spider arms to drive and rotate said basket, and a perpendicular water delivery and draining tube concentrically surrounding said shaft and having its upper end apertured and embracing the shaft 001- lar beneath said pinion, the lower half portion of said tube being imperforate and extending down through and beyond the bottom portions of the basket and tub and being supported on said 3. A clothes washing machine of the class described comprisinga portable relatively stationary tub, an apertured basket confined for rotation within the limits of said tub, means for supporting the basket interposed between the bottom of the tub and the bottom of the basket, said basket being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced horizontally disposed spider arms, said arms connected at their outer ends to the upper rim of the basket, a toothed collar connected to the inner converging ends of said spider arms, an electric motor supported beneath said tub, a shaft connected and rising vertically from said motor and extending up through the bottom portions of the tub and basket, said shaft being provided. at its upper endwith a collar and above said collar with a toothed pinion, said pinion being scribed comprising a portable relatively station 1 ary tub, an apertured basket confined for rotation within the limits of said tub, means for supporting the basket interposed between the bottom of the tub and the bottom of the. basket, said basket being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced horizontally disposed spider arms, said arms connected at their outer ends to the upper rim of the basket, a toothed collar connected to the inner ends or said spider,-

arms, an electric motor supported beneath said tub, a shaft connected and rising vertically from said motor and extending up through the bottoms of the tub and basket, said shaft'being provided at its upper end with a collar and above said collar with a toothed pinion, said pinion being tapered and fitting in the first collar and engaging the teeth of said first collar, whereby to utilize "the shaft, pinion,.flrst named collar and spider arms to drive and rotate said basket.

2. A clothes washing machine, of the class described comprising a portable relatively stationary, tub, an apertured basket ,conflned for rotation within ,the limits of said tub, means for supportthebasket interposed-between the bottomof .1; the tub and the bottom of the basket, said basket being provided 'with apiurality-" of circumferen-1 xitially spaced horizontally disposed spider arms,

said arms connectedattheir outer-ends to the of the basket, a nected to the inner convergingends of saidspider arms, an electric motor supported beneath said 1 tub, a connected and rising vertically from w said shaft,'having its upper end apertured and) tapered, fitting in and meshing with the teeth of :said first collar, whereby 'piniomfirst collar and spider arms to drive and rat to utilize the shaft,.

ate said basket; a perpendicular water delivand draining tube concentrically surrounding embracing the second-named collar beneath said pinion, the lower half portion of said tube being imper forate and extending down through and beyondthe bottom portions or, the basket and tub and'beingv supportedon said motor, and a fater :deliv ry andem'ptying pipe-beneath the I bottom ofi'the tub andconnected to the, lower adjacent portion of said'jtube. said. pipe being provided with a valve, said pipe being adapted to accommodate a hose for both delivering and draining water, and the lowerhalf portion of said shaft being provided with spiralling-pump forming fins, said fins "fitting snugly in the imperforate portion of said tube, said tube/having drain holes in the otherwise imperforate portion located between the bottom of the tub and bottom ofv the basket, and said basket having an enlarged drain coasting with said drain holes.

' j PHILIP B. WINSTON.

REFERENCES orrno Thefollowing references'are of record in the file of "this patent:

toothed collar con- "'70 um'rsn-s'ra'rns PATENTS Number Name Date 1,583,367 Pinckney,; May 4, 1926 1,661,665: Kirkpatrick Mar. 6, 1928 376,866 Davis Jan. 24, 1888 2,023,013 Faber Dec. 3, 1935 2,148,646" Rocke 'L Feb. 28, 1939 1,902,193 Stoddard Mar. 21, 1933 Rabezzana Apr. 26, 1921 

